FAQ

Do you want to know more about our no collection, no commission promise? Are you curious about how the service works? Do you have reservations about hiring a third party to contact your client?

All these questions and more answered in our FAQ.

FAQ

Do you really offer a true no collection = no commission service?

Yes we do.

At Safe Collections our standard UK Debt Collection & International Debt Collection services are provided on this basis. If any chargeable extra's are required, such as a land registry search or debtor trace, we will always seek written authorisation before you incur any charges.

Are there any exceptions to this rule?

Yes. In addition to any extra services that may be required, legal costs always remain the responsibility of the client at all times. If you choose to pursue legal action our Solicitors will invoice you directly.

Please note no legal action will ever be taken without your express written approval.

Do you have any advance fees?

No. We do not require any advance payment to place a debt for collection.

Do you have any abortive fees?

No. We do not have any abortive fees or hidden charges to pay if no funds are recovered.

Do we need to sign a binding fixed term contract?

No. You do not need to enter in to a fixed term contract to use our services, simply sign and return our Terms and Conditions and we can assist you with debt recovery whenever the need arises

How much do you charge for UK debt collection?

Our average fees for collection in the UK are quoted in the table below, although we prefer to quote individually in most cases.

If you can not produce the relevant paperwork we may refuse your collection.

What other information do you need?

Any other information that may be useful in recovery, such as emails promising payment, bounced cheques or any other documentation that may assist in recovery.

How should I send the information?

If possible please send all correspondence and documentation by email to our team. Alternatively fax to us on 01772 455007 or you can use dropbox or another cloud based system to deliver the correspondence to us.

If you must send via the post please do not send original documents as we can not guarantee safe receipt or return

Do you need anything more for an international collection?

No. The above information is all that is required for the instruction of one of our International Debt Collection partners. If further documentation is required we can request this at a later date.

What exactly is it that you do?

We use a combination of letters, telephone calls, email and even SMS messages to contact your debtor with the aim of securing your payment in the quickest possible time.

Our experienced and knowledgeable credit management team will work with you and your debtor to ascertain the most effective means of recovery.

Do you profile or monitor my debtors?

Yes. Throughout the process we will continually profile and monitor your debtor. This enables us to keep watch for any early signs of financial difficulty or insolvency.

This approach often provides useful intelligence that is vital should court action be required in recovery.

How long does it take?

Every account is different and as such it is impossible to give an accurate estimation. Accounts are often settled within 24 hours of our instruction but disputed accounts may take considerably longer to resolve.

In most cases an account is either paid in full, closed or in litigation within 8 weeks from the date of instruction.

What is your success rate?

Our success rate is very high, but each client and debt is different and no agency can collect every single account they receive.

As long as the account is not disputed and the debtor is solvent the chances are high that we will be able to collect what is owed.

Who decides if a case should proceed to court?

You do.

If we are unable to secure payment in pre-legal collection we may recommend that proceedings are issued against the debtor. We will only recommend legal action in cases where we believe you have a reasonable possibility of not only securing the judgment, but of actually getting paid but the final decision is yours and yours alone.

Can you give us legal advice or issue proceedings for us?

No. We are not a law firm and can not provide you with any legal advice or any legal services.

All legal claims are placed with our fully regulated legal partners for action; we do not engage in or offer any legal services.

If I decide to take court action do I have to use your solicitors?

No you don't. If the outstanding amount is less than £10,000.00 we will actively encourage you to make use of the Small Claims track at County Court via Money Claim online in order to minimise your costs.

If you are not comfortable issuing your own proceedings we provide a full suite of legal services in association with our legal partners in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Why do we encourage use of Money Claim Online?

In Small Claims any solicitor's fees you incur are generally not recoverable from the debtor. If you instruct a solicitor and a defence is filed you can quickly find your non recoverable legal fees begin to mount.

What if I do want to use your Solicitors?

We will transfer the file to our solicitors and manage the issue of proceedings on your behalf.

Please note: legal costs are not included in our agreed commission fee and remain the client’s responsibility at all times.

Why do your solicitors invoice me direct?

For transparency. Some Debt Collection agencies will add an extra 10-20% or more on to legal charges prior to invoicing the client. When you pay the solicitor direct you know the legal fee is just that (and not a hidden charge from us).

If I get a CCJ and the debtor pays do I still pay you?

Yes you do. We will invoice you at the rate agreed for collection if no additional fees are recovered.

If debt recovery costs are recovered in addition to the principal sum we will retain these and you will receive 100% of the outstanding balance.

What happens if my debtor doesn't pay after court action?

We will help and guide you through the enforcement process until your judgment is paid.

Have you always been known as Safe Collections?

No. Prior to February the 29th 2012 the company was called Creditsafe Ltd.